Tales of the Sea: Darkness Rising
by Winterbornbree
Summary: (Book 1) Unrelenting hunger... A dark prophecy... An ocean filled with blood... Seaflame bears the brunt of its wrath as he struggles to put an end to a strange evil threatening his clan. Is his efforts enough? Or will the bodies of his clan litter the landscape?
1. Prologue

OceanClan

**_Leader:_** Reedstar - An old, gruff, tabby tom with green eyes.

**_Deputy:_** Willowfire - A pretty white she-cat with blue eyes.

**_Medicine Cat:_** Sandfur - A tan colored tom with a kind demeanor.  
(Apprentice: Moonpaw)

**_Warriors:_**

Seaflame - A young, fiery, ginger tom.  
(Apprentice: Mistypaw)

Frostfang - A fierce, dark-gray, she-cat with yellow eyes.  
(Apprentice: Foxpaw)

Hollyberry - Black she-cat.

Longclaw - Pale tabby tom with glittering green eyes.

Ravenwing - A big, solid black tom with a white chest and paws.  
(Apprentice: Darkpaw)

Dawnfrost - She-cat with long orange-red fur.

Patchclaw - White tomcat with black splotches.  
(Apprentice: Saltpaw)

Thistlepelt - Fluffy ginger tabby tom.

Badgerstripe - Calico tom.

Snowfire - White tom with blue eyes.

Mintleaf - Gray tabby she-cat.

**_Apprentices:_ **

Mistypaw - Light gray she-cat.

Foxpaw - A she-cat with reddish colored fur and a white front paw.

Darkpaw - A gray tomcat with a darker colored tail.

Saltpaw - Pale ginger colored tom.

Moonpaw - Silver-gray she-cat. Medicine apprentice.

_**Queens:**_

Duskmoon - A brown she-cat with a white underbelly and chest. _(Mother of Deerkit.)_

Swiftfoot - A beautiful tortoiseshell. _(Mother of Blackkit and Sunkit.)_

Poppytail - A light gray tabby. _(Mother of Featherkit.)_

_**Elders:**_

Nightshadow - An old black tom with one blind eye.

Birchbark - A tom with a chestnut colored coat.

Fireblaze - She-cat with a flame colored pelt.

* * *

EarthClan

_**Leader:** _Duststar - A frail, dusky brown tom.

**_Deputy:_** Silverstorm - White she-cat with menacing yellow eyes.

**_Medicine Cat:_** Firefang - A tom with a slightly crooked fang.

_**Warriors:**_

Skybreeze - Golden brown she-cat.

Meadowflight - Pale colored she-cat with brilliant green eyes.

Lionfang - A golden tabby tom with long fangs.  
(Apprentice: Whitepaw)

Snowstorm - Long-haired white tom.

Mapleleaf - Sleek golden-brown she-cat.  
(Apprentice: Willowpaw)

Owlflight - Tortoiseshell tom.  
(Apprentice: Redpaw)

Eagleheart - Brown tabby tom with golden eyes.

Littlefang - White tom with brown splotches.

Brindlefur - Wiry brown she-cat with a white tip on her tail.

Stormcloud - Gray tabby tom with a slightly torn ear.

_**Apprentices:**_

Whitepaw - A white she-cat with a black patch over one eye.

Willowpaw - A white she-cat.

Redpaw - Reddish colored tom.

_**Queens:**_

Rosecloud - Black and white she-cat with ginger patches. _(Mother of Beetlekit)_

Ashfall - Pale gray tabby. (_Mother of Sharpkit and Riverkit)_

Cinderstep - Solid gray she-cat with green eyes. _(Mother of Smokekit)_

_**Elders:**_

Scorchtail - Tom with a ginger colored pelt.

Pebblefoot - Light gray - almost white - she-cat. Formerly a queen.

Otterclaw - Dark brown tom.

* * *

ForestClan

_**Leader: **_Pantherstar - Black she-cat with white paws.

**_Deputy:_** Leafstep - Ginger long-haired tom.

**_Medicine Cat:_** Hazelpelt - Tortoiseshell she-cat.  
(Apprentice: Fernpaw)

**_Warriors:_**

Icepelt - Gray tabby tom with a white chest.  
(Apprentice: Goldenpaw)

Sorrelfur - Light brown she-cat.

Specklefur - A she-cat with a pale spotted coat.

Emberglow - Dark tabby tom with intense amber eyes.  
(Apprentice: Hawkpaw)

Oakshade - Brown she-cat with faint stripes.

Bramblenose - Dark tom with a white tail tip.  
(Apprentice: Rumblepaw)

Sootwhisker - Dark tortoiseshell tom.

Whitewater - White she-cat.

Wolfclaw - Light gray tom with golden eyes.

Waterlily - White she-cat with light blue eyes.

**_Apprentices:_**

Goldenpaw - Light ginger she-cat.

Rumblepaw: Gray tom with darker paws.

Hawkpaw - Brown tom with dark spots.

Fernpaw - Light-gray she-cat with dark flecks. Medicine apprentice.

**_Queens:_**

Brightflower - White she-cat with black and ginger splotches. _(Mother of Brackenkit and Rowankit)_

Lightbreeze - Light gray she-cat. _(Mother of Gorsekit, Ashkit, and Volekit)_

**_Elders:_**

Spottedpelt - Small she-cat with a spotted coat.

Timberfall - Brown tom with a white muzzle.

* * *

CloudClan

**_Leader:_** Fallenstar - Copper brown tom with dark stripes.

**_Deputy:_** Hawkeye - Big gray tabby tom.

**_Medicine Cat:_** Stonescar - Gray tom with a prominent scar over his muzzle. A former warrior.

**_Warriors:_**

Lakesplash - Gray she-cat.

Leopardclaw - Golden colored she-cat with brown flecks and thick claws.  
(Apprentice: Falconpaw)

Mossfur - Pale gray tom with darker ears.  
(Apprentice: Tigerpaw)

Marshpelt - Dark brown tom.

Snakestrike - Pale brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.  
(Apprentice: Tumblepaw)

Rainfeather - Dark gray she-cat.  
(Apprentice: Bluepaw)

Grasspelt - Tortoiseshell she-cat.  
(Apprentice: Sorrelpaw)

Breezeflight - Black tom with a white chest.

Spiderweb - Black tom.

Graymist - White and gray she-cat.

Rushingwind - Black cat with white paws, white chest, and a white muzzle.

_**Apprentices:**_

Falconpaw - Light ginger and white tom.

Tigerpaw - Light brown tabby tom with dark stripes.

Tumblepaw - Large ginger tom with a white patch over an eye.

Bluepaw - Blue-gray she-cat.

Sorrelpaw - Light colored she-cat with green eyes.

_**Queens:**_

Tallflower - Black she-cat with splotches on her tail and face. _(Mother of Frogkit, Yellowkit, and Mudkit)_

Swiftbrook - Silver tabby with blue eyes. _(Mother of Brownkit and Mousekit)_

_**Elders:**_

Smalltail - Black tom with a small tail.

Silverrain - Light gray she-cat.

* * *

_Prologue_

The sound of waves hissing softly on the shore filled the cool night.

A little ways off the beach was a cliff that opened to a forest and a hidden camp on the top. The stars coldly twinkled as a lithe shape walked towards a small den made of branches and leaves. The wind picked up, the trees rustling in an eerie melody. The moon lit up the land in a silver glow.

He nodded to the guards - two other cats - as he passed the entrance of camp.

"Sandfur, you wished to speak to me?" A tabby tom meowed.

He pushed his way into a dark den with a rich aroma. Herbs were kept in little holes and piles. He quickly avoided stepping on a smaller, sleeping cat. A medicine cat apprentice.

"Quite frankly, yes, Reedstar." Another, lighter colored, tom answered quietly, "I've received word from StarClan."

"Is it another prophecy?" Reedstar tiredly asked.

The cat - Sandfur - purred with amusement, "Who says prophecies weren't exciting? You should know; you fulfilled one as a deputy. I may have been a young apprentice then, but I still remember it well."

"That was a long time ago. I don't need to remember that one again. It was rather unusual, even for StarClan." Reedstar purred, but he quickly became serious, "How bad is this one?"

Alarm glinted in the medicine cat's eyes, "Reedstar, this may be the most serious prophecy we had in a long time."

"How many warriors will lose their lives?" The tom asked gravely.

"Too many. Blood of noble warriors will water the ground like a red river."

"Just tell me already." Reedstar sighed.

_"Three darkness's will misbalance the forest's rest. _

_One will decide the fate of the clans._

_Unless three elements are gathered and united,_

_Blood will fill the land and sea."_

Reedstar stared bewildered at Sandfur, "What is that supposed to mean?!"

"Our ancestors never make it clear on the first time." Sandfur replied, sounding half amused. "I still can't understand StarClan, even as a medicine cat."

"This is rather cryptic, Sandfur. I'll have to make a trip to the Mooncave myself to consult our ancestors. Who knows? Maybe they'll be a little more clear."

"That is a long trip, Reedstar. I'm low on herbs and leaf-bare is upon us."

"You do not have to worry about me, old friend; all will be well." Reedstar's graying whiskers quivered.

"I can only hope, Reedstar. We're both too old to watch any more prophecies be fulfilled." The tom meowed tiredly.

The apprentice shuffled quietly in her nest. Little did they know, she heard the entire conversation. She flexed her claws in anxiety.

_Blood will fill the land and sea... _

* * *

_A/N:_

_Before any of you go on a tirade about how I apparently copied some names, allow me to tell you that any names of cats or clans found in here are purely coincidental. I can't tell you how frustrated I was when I saw that any names that I came up with, they were already taken.  
__And I haven't gotten very far with the series yet (though I have shamelessly spoiled myself on the third series before I even got the chance to read it!), so if you see any names that the Erins already took, then my apologies._

_But I'm not about to change the names; I like them too much._

_I'm not trying to come off as a brat or put people off from reviewing (by all means, go ahead! I love reviews! I don't even mind critiques; I won't bite), but this is just to deter any angry guest reviews from appearing in my inbox. ^^;_

_-Winterbornbree_


	2. Chapter 1

_Blood roared through his ears as he ran. The dark, gnarled trees seemed almost sinister-looking. The muddy ground tried to grasp at his paws and fur. The place had no stars to guide him at all._

_He couldn't look back to see who was chasing him. He couldn't! All he could do was to run and hope his pursuer would give up. "Stop chasing me! Leave me alone!" He yowled into the foul air._

_He felt claws nick his tail and hot breath at his heels. Terror drove him forward madly. The mist threatened to blind him. "There is no where you can run, little warrior. We'll always find you..."_

_"Seaflame! Seaflame, wake up!"_

_The forest melted into darkness._

* * *

"Seaflame! Seaflame, wake up!"

That was the voice he woke to on that morning.

Seaflame growled quietly and put one paw over his nose, screwing his eyes shut and trying to ignore the persistent mews. A paw prodded him in his side. He finally opened an eye.

A gray face was all he saw.

Startled, he threw his head back and blinked. A gray she-cat stood over his nest, it was difficult to see her even with the pre-dawn light. "Can't a cat get any sleep around here?" She hissed softly, "your twisting and groaning are loud enough to wake the entire camp!"

Seaflame flattened his ears, "I'm sorry, Frostfang. It was a bad dream, but it's fading away now." In truth, it wasn't. He could still feel the dark tendrils of that unnatural forest snagging on his fur.

Her eyes softened for an instant before fading away, "There's no good going back to sleep now. We might as well go to Willowfire and ask to be put on the dawn patol."

"'We'?"

"Yes. We." She glared at him before pulling herself out of the den. The other warriors snored softly and shifted every once in a while. Seaflame huffed before following after the she-cat.

Frostfang had been his friend ever since they were kits in the nursery. She was a moon older than him when he was born, but she had taken a shine to him. She could also be rather bossy and irritable.

The camp was rather quiet, even though some warriors were already up. Reedstar sat talking to Sandfur, the medicine cat.

He spotted her in the clearing, talking to another she-cat.

It was Willowfire, the OceanClan deputy. Her white fur was long and shining with health, but underneath the fluffy pelt were rock-hard muscles. She wasn't all that friendly in Seaflame's opinion, but she wasn't aggressive or antagonistic either.

Frostfang saw him and trotted over. "The patrol is about to leave. Did you want to take your apprentice before we go?" She asked.

Seaflame glanced towards the apprentices den. The air was still heavy with sleep and warmth. Seaflame didn't feel like waking Mistypaw yet. "I'll let her sleep a little longer; she worked hard yesterday."

She nodded and turned towards the entrance where two more cats were waiting for them. A quiet, black warrior named Ravenwing stood with Mintleaf, another gray she-cat. Seaflame meowed in greeting and received the same.

Once Ravenwing, leader of the patrol, gave the signal, the warriors sprinted out of the camp and into the darkness of the trees. He ran side-by-side with Frostfang and, after a few minutes, slowed down.

Seaflame breathed in the cool forest air and felt the dew soak on his paws. By this time, the sky turned a brilliant red and pink, with the sun peeking over the horizon. He purred softly.

"We're to renew the border." Ravenwing addressed the three cats. They broke apart smelling for any enemy scents and renewing the border marks on the trees and bushes separating their territory and that of their neighbor, ForestClan.

The dream hung over Seaflame's mind like mist. He never had a nightmare quite like that before. The nightmares he usually had were distorted and made no sense, not to mention you kind of knew that it was a dream to begin with.

He parted his jaws slightly and let the scents of the woods permeate through his mouth.

The fresh scent of enemy warriors hit him and he raised his hackles slightly before smoothing them. The scent wasn't as fresh as he thought. It was at least a few minutes, most likely a border patrol went by.

They left the area and continued to trek along the border. When they came back, the warriors and apprentices were already up and working on various chores.

Seaflame took in the scene and looked for his apprentice.

Mistypaw was helping Dawnfrost, a ginger she-cat, and Foxpaw, a reddish apprentice, weave leaves and bits of seaweed into some holes in the nursery wall. One of the queens complained that cold air was seeping through the nursery and got one of the kits sick.

He padded towards the nursery. "Mistypaw," she looked up, "when you're finished, we'll go down to the beach to train."

She nodded quickly, "Alright, Seaflame. We're almost done."

To get to the beach, the warriors had to carefully scale a narrow path on the cliff side. Several unlucky warriors and apprentices - even some kits - had fallen to their deaths from loose stones when they were still too high to land safely. But with some caution, the Clan was able to go up and down the path with relative ease and use it as a training ground for apprentices.

The loose sand on the shore could slow the apprentices down and tire them out faster. But, as training went on, they became strong and quick. OceanClan cats had a reputation for their strength.

"Go ahead. Foxpaw and I will finish the wall." Dawnfrost meowed. Seaflame blinked gratefully at his mother.

Seaflame and Mistypaw headed towards the cliff path. Once they climbed down and came to the beach below, the ginger tom turned towards his apprentice. "Alright, I want you to practice dodging and counterattacking. Remember, I expect you to dodge my moves swiftly." He meowed.

She nodded wordlessly and crouched, tensing her muscles. She had only been an apprentice for two moons, but she was already fairly competent on the sand. With a low growl (merely to add emphasis) Seaflame sprang forward, pelt fluffed out, intending to tackle her to the ground.

She nimbly hopped to her right before striking. Her blow caught Seaflame on the cheek. The tom reeled slightly before twisting towards the gray she-cat. He charged at her, knocking her over in the sand and placing a firm paw on her body. He loomed over Mistypaw, who was strangely limp.

Seaflame sniffed her uncertainly, 'Was I too rough?'

Suddenly, she leaped, taking Seaflame by surprise, and unbalanced him. He felt fangs bury themselves in his neck and knew she had taken him down. He tapped his tail against her shoulder and she released him.

He sat up and gave his chest several rough licks while he waited for Mistypaw to recover her breath. When she had finally calmed, he mewed, "That was good, you actually took me by surprise there. It was rather unorthodox, but it'll do with practice."

Mistypaw puffed out her chest fur with pride. "I was good, wasn't I?"

"With an attitude like that, you'd be easy to take down." Seaflame pointed out.

She seemed to deflate for a moment before perking up. "Well I won't let that happen!"

"See that you do." Seaflame crouched, "Again!"

* * *

The pair - joined by Ravenwing and his apprentice, Darkpaw - trained until sunhigh, when it got rather warm.

"We're about to go hunting. Care to join us?" Seaflame asked the black tom, ignoring the glare Mistypaw sent him.

Ravenwing appeared thoughtful, "We would if Darkpaw wasn't in trouble. We'll have to take your offer some other time." The senior warrior flicked his tail at Darkpaw.

Seaflame and Mistypaw climbed back to the camp. Seaflame glanced at the dwindling fresh-kill pile and made a mental note to join a hunting patrol. They were about to exit the camp when a yowl sounded from the clearing.

_"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join in the clearing for a clan meeting!"_

"What's this all about?" Mistypaw asked, craning her neck behind her.

"We're about to find out." Seaflame answered.

Most of the warriors gathered in the clearing. The three elders padded their way out of their den. The queens watched from the nursery, listening to the meeting and trying to keep their kits quiet.

"Is it an apprentice ceremony?" Mistypaw asked, once they sat. Her eyes gleamed with excitement about possible new denmates.

A black she-cat answered, "No. The kits are still a moon or two too young. This is something different."

Mistypaw nodded. Reedstar walked into the center, with Willowfire sitting a little away from him. Sandfur also sat near to the tom. "I am about to make the journey to the Mooncave-"

A chorus of startled mews and yowls drowned the rest of his words.

"That's two days trip!" One warrior yowled.

"ForestClan made it clear they are going to take part of our territory. We'll need you!" An elderly she-cat meowed worriedly.

"And it's dangerous! There's a reason we don't take apprentices until they become warriors! And you're on your last few lives!"

Willowfire had enough. "Silence yourselves!" She hissed, "how dare you interrupt Reedstar like that?" The noise stopped and dead silence settled over the camp.

"I assure you I'll be fine. Willowfire will see that no warrior - wether it be ForestClan, EarthClan, or CloudClan - will step foot in our territory without a fight." Reedstar said, assuring his clanmate's fears. "I must speak with StarClan. If I don't return within seven sunrises, Willowfire will be the new Clan leader."

The deputy looked at Reedstar in surprise, as did the rest of the Clan. Seaflame dug his claws in the earth with nervousness. He caught Reedstar's eye. 'He's not coming back!' Seaflame thought with alarm before shaking it off and telling himself not to be ridiculous. 'Of course he'll come back!'

"You all may return to your duties." Reedstar finished.

One by one, the cats reluctantly returned to what they were doing. Seaflame stood and stretched. "Mistypaw, change of plans, you can go eat at the fresh-kill pile. I'll take you hunting later."

"Okay..." She sounded mildly disappointed as she approached the pile and picked out a mouse - a rather scrawny one. She carried it over to the apprentice den to eat with Saltpaw and Foxpaw.

Seaflame looked around the clearing. Reedstar disappeared into the medicine den, presumably eating the traveling herbs to keep him strong for the first part of the journey, Seaflame thought.

"I don't like this. Not one little bit..."

Seaflame swiveled his ears towards the sound. It came from near the fresh-kill pile.

"I agree with you, Fireblaze. There's this feeling in my gut that tells me something's about to go wrong." A gravely voice replied.

"Great StarClan! Will you two stop worrying and moaning? Makes me feel my age even more!" A voice snapped.

"As if you have nothing to say on the matter, Birchbark." Fireblaze mewed drily.

"I don't!" Birchbark hissed.

Seaflame stopped listening to their squabble. Elders, he supposed, while good for their wisdom, weren't very good at getting along nor facing the bright side of things. He broke into a purr of amusement.

He reached the medicine cat den and sat, waiting for Reedstar to come out. Eventually, the leader did and was surprised to see Seaflame. "Hello, Seaflame," the tom grunted once he pulled himself out of the den. "What can I do for you?"

The ginger warrior decided to be blunt, "I'm a bit worried, Reedstar."

"Oh?"

"I know this sounds silly, but I keep thinking this is the last time we'll see you again."

"I'm sure Willowfire would make an excellent leader if StarClan decides to take me." Reedstar's whiskers quivered, "I know the elders can worry too much, but I hadn't realized it had spread around the camp this fast! Don't pay their gossip any mind."

Reedstar flicked his tail at Seaflame's shoulder in a rare gesture of reassurance. He stood up and passed by without saying another word. Seaflame stayed where he was.

The more he thought about it, the colder the chill the ran down his spine. Reedstar hadn't really bothered to defend himself against the elder's words.

Was Willowfire going to become Willowstar after all?

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Yes, I'm not very good at training scenes or battles. If you have any tips for me, I'd love to hear them._

_-Winterbornbree_


End file.
